West Ham shook up the Premier League title race by coming
from behind twice to beat Chelsea 3-2 at home on Saturday, a result that
knocked the visitor off the top of the standings.
Liverpool took immediate advantage as Divock Origi’s
injury-time goal secured a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton that put Jurgen Klopp’s
team in first place. Manchester City had a chance to take over top spot by
beating Watford later.
David Moyes’ West Ham had already handed Liverpool its only
loss of the league, beaten Tottenham, and knocked both Manchester clubs out of
the League Cup. This win underlined the Hammers’ own top-four credentials, even
though it required a fluke late goal to complete the comeback.
Arthur Masuaku swung a speculative 87th-minute cross in from
the left wing which veered toward goal and caught Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard
Mendy by surprise. Mendy dove to keep the ball out but managed to push it only
inside his own near post.
“It was a bit of a lucky goal,” Moyes conceded. “But you
have to get the ball in the box, you have to try it.”
Chelsea led twice through Thiago Silva’s header and a
sublime volley from Mason Mount, but West Ham came back both times with a
penalty from Manuel Lanzini and Jarrod Bowen’s low shot from the edge of the
area.
Mendy was at fault for the penalty conceded as well, and
manager Thomas Tuchel knows his team can’t afford many more slip-ups after
dropping five points in its last three games, following a 1-1 draw with
Manchester United last weekend.
“It is tough to play here but we made too many individual
mistakes. We did against Man United and against Watford and got punished,”
Tuchel said. “If you want to have results at this level you have to minimise
the mistakes.”
LIVERPOOL LEAVES IT LATE
Liverpool’s high-flying attack looked like it would finally
be kept in check by a stubborn Wolves side. Then Origi delivered yet another
crucial late goal.
Mo Salah cut the ball back for the substitute in the fourth
minute of injury time, and Origi swiveled before slotting the ball past
goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Liverpool hasn’t failed to score in the league since March
and had netted four goals in each of its last three games. But the Reds
struggled to make the most of their pressure against a resolute Wolves, with
Salah, Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara also missing chances as they pressed for
a winner.
Origi keeps coming up big at crucial moments, though. The
forward rarely gets a start under Klopp but added to a list of late scores that
also includes the 96th-minute winner in the 2018 Merseyside derby and the goal
that settled the 2019 Champions League final against Tottenham.
NEWCASTLE WINS AT LAST
Newcastle finally has a win in the Premier League, 15 games
into the season.
Callum Wilson scored late in the first half and Newcastle
held on to beat Burnley 1-0 in a game between relegation strugglers.
Wilson scored in the 40th minute after Burnley goalkeeper
Nike Pope couldn’t control Joe Willock’s cross.
The win was also the first by Newcastle under new manager
Eddie Howe, who was hired last month to replace the fired Steve Bruce.
Burnley had been unbeaten in five games but could muster
only one shot on target at St. James’ Park.
Neal Maupay’s goal in the eighth minute of injury time
rescued a 1-1 draw for Brighton at Southampton.
Maupay reacted quickest to tap in from close range after
Jakub Moder’s free kick, to deny Ralph Hasenhuttl a win on his three-year
anniversary as Southampton manager. Armando Broja’s smart finish put
Southampton ahead in the 29th.